Kicking off with the new BlackBerry smartphone, and then rolling in a smart soundbar and a smart T-shirt. (Who says wool is for winter?)

1) Blackberry Z10I’m putting the Z10 smartphone through its paces now, but so far the experience is sensational. It’s a hugely compelling alternative to both Apple and Android devices, and a godsend to the BlackBerry die-hards. The whip-smart keyboard feels good and it adapts to your writing style. The 8mp rear camera includes a groovy Time Shift mode that allows you to scroll back and forward a few milliseconds before and after your shot to open one subjects eyes or catch a smile on another. (This, of course, saves you the ordeal of having to shriek hysterically at your subjects for not cooperating just this once. Sheesh.) In terms of connectivity and data, setup was a snap and the Blackberry 10 operating system’s Hub does a nice job of consolidating texts, emails, and social networks. It’s basically precisely what any convergence-minded soul would ask for. ($199; blackberry.com)

2) Gerber Bear Grylls Paracord Fixed BladeThese days, paracord is everywhere. You can buy the handy emergency rope wound up in bracelets, key fobs, and even belts. In a pinch, just unspool that stuff and rappel down a mountain, fix your dragging muffler, or even tie your shoes! Given the near universal handiness of the stuff, it’s no surprise that noted adventurer Bear Grylls would wind 45 inches of it onto the open-frame handle of this survival knife. The 3.25-inch blade rests securely in the sheath, which can be configured for a variety of carry modes on your belt—horizontal, vertical, blade up, blade down. Also includes a tiny survival guide! That’s so Bear …. ($37, gerbergear.com)

3) Icebreaker wool print T-shirtI was already a huge fan of the Icebreaker wool T-shirts. Now that they’ve added funky prints like this deer and several other cool options, I’m even a huger fan—and not just of the shirts as winter baselayers. In reality, wool is a great summer fabric, too. See, cotton and synthetic fabrics keep sweat trapped in the fabric, slowing its evaporation. Wool, on the other hand—and make no mistake, Icebreaker’s merino wool from New Zealand is as good as it gets—absorbs and releases moisture vapor before it even turns into sweat, according to the company. As a result, you stay dry and cool all summer long. Bonus: the wool resists odors, so you actually can wear this thing all … summer … long. ($75, icebreaker.com)

4) Sonos PlaybarI let a colleague test this new soundbar from Sonos. He’s an audiophile-type who nevertheless still tolerates low-grade audio emanating from his television’s built-in speaker. Ugh. Anyway, here’s his reaction: “I plugged in the Playbar, which was very simple, and the scales fell from my ears. I knew it’d be great for movies, and indeed Kevin Spacey’s voice took on added malevolence in House of Cards. But I was not prepared for how honeyed the tones of Brian Williams could be, or how thumping a video concert of the E Street Band could be, even without the subwoofer. The clincher, though, was the depth and roar of the Georgia Dome crowd for the NCAA championship basketball game. My love for sports tipped into obsession—the swoosh and click of golf swings at the Masters (and announcers’ whispers), the low murmur of a baseball game. I had no idea what I was missing, from every kind of broadcast. Easy set-up, wife-approved looks. Deep without woofer; crisp and clear in the upper range.” So there you go. ($699, sonos.com)

5) Star Trek: The Video GameReleased this week, this new third-person adventure/shooter is a cool warm-up for the next Chris Pine/Zachary Quinto installment due in theaters next month. It deploys the actors’ actual voices, as well as somewhat pasty digital renderings of their mugs, in a harrowing sequence of challenges inspired by previous movies and shows. I played the game right up to this moment shown in the image. It’s the spot where Kirk is supposed to rescue Spock from this wildly cavorting laser blaster. But I evidently lack whatever logic chip enable the average 8th grader to instantly determine what sequence of moves will blow this thing up, so I just shot it 84,000 times with my phaser and gave up. But don’t worry—I’ll be back tonight to liberate my Vulcan friend. ($59 for PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, startrekgame.com)

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